Trash compactors are used to handle all types of waste materials, such as spent food and drinks and other organic materials, disposable cutlery, paper, plastic, glass or metal items, such as cans and bottles, and so forth. Collecting and disposing of trash in confined conditions, particularly on-board passenger transport vehicles, such as aircraft, trains, ships, buses, RVs, and other land, water, air, or other passenger transport travel vessels can be challenging. However, a good deal of rubbish is generated on such vehicles. For example, after in-flight beverage service, unused items are collected, which often includes left-over portions of meals and drinks (such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and cocktails), drink cups, napkins, newspapers, food wrappers, tea bags, beverage cans, other packaging or non-consumable items and the like, food wastes (and in particular, food wastes that are organic in nature such as fruit, fruit skin, and bones), coffee grounds and tea bags, semi-liquid materials such as water-based mixtures, alcohol, fats and oils, or any other type of disposable item that a passenger may consume or bring on-board.
Non-consumable items are also collected inside the trash compactor, which include beverage cartons, cans, and bottles, disposable cutlery, napkins, newspapers and magazines, and so forth. These vehicles thus have equipment on-board for compacting waste, thereby reducing the space and volume required for the storage of various waste materials.
Trash compactors are also used for residential and commercial uses, for example, in homes, restaurants, and any other locations where waste is generated and space is at a premium. Embodiments of the invention will be described throughout the remainder of this document for use in connection with passenger transport vehicles, but it should be understood that uses in other locations and for other purposes are possible as well, and are to be considered within the scope of the invention.